So Something Lovely Happened Last Weekend…

During my Fox Cub Live Draw Event (which was amazing by the way — thank you if you joined in!), I noticed a question that kept coming up:
“What materials do you actually use?”

And not just pencils — people wanted the full scoop. All the bits and bobs I reach for daily. So today, I’m opening up my actual toolbox and letting you peek inside. And spoiler alert: it’s not just pencils. I’ve got practical tools, quirky favourites, and the odd item that’ll make you go, “Wait, you use that for art?!”

Let’s dive in! 🙂

The Pencils (Obviously!)

Let’s start with the stars of the show. I use a mix of pencils depending on what I’m drawing and the look I’m after:

• Polychromos – Brilliant for crisp details and layering. Caput Mortuum Violet and Warm Grey 2 are two of my absolute faves.
  
• Luminance – Buttery soft, perfect for rich, vibrant colour and smooth blending.
  
• Derwent Drawing Ivory Black – My go-to when I want a super intense black.
  
• Neocolor II – Great for underpainting and yes, they’re water-soluble!
  
• NeoPastels – Oil pastels I use for backgrounds on drafting film. No pastel dust. Total win.
  

The Unsung Heroes: My Must-Have Tools

Not flashy, but these make all the difference behind the scenes:

• Cotton Buds – With one pointed end and one rounded, they’re fab for blending and backgrounds.
  
• Microfiber Cloth – Lovely for smoothing NeoPastels.
  
• Scotch Magic Tape – I use it to hold things down, lift highlights, and add texture (test your paper first though!).
  
• Erasers –  Tombow Mono for precision; Faber Castell kneadable eraser for gentle lifting (and mid-demo fidgeting).
  
• Slice Tool – My trusty cutter for whiskers, grasses, and fine details.
  
• Sharpeners – Swordfish ‘MultiPoint’ for everyday use, Kum Magnesium for delicate pencils, and the Derwent Super Point for when I want a seriously sharp tip.
• My Colour Conversion Chart!– Essential for when I just can’t find the right pencil in my studio and need an alternative quickly.
  

Handy Extras I Swear By

These little extras make life in the studio easier (and a bit more fun!):

• Projector  – Speeds up the outline stage so I can get to the good stuff.
  
• Jars & Mugs – Anything that holds pencils is fair game. Mismatched mugs? Absolutely.
  
• Glassine Sheet– I should use them more to avoid smudging… but you know how it is. 😅
  
• Pastelmat Paper – My top favourite surface. Velvety, forgiving, and is beautiful layer after layer like
  
• Pencil Extenders – Yes, those are the insides of dog poo bag rolls you saw on Sunday. They work. Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it!
  

Bonus: Pet Hair 

No matter how tidy I try to be, there’s always a bit of Dora, Slipper, Nelly or Vinnie in the mix. Usually stuck to my kneadable eraser like a fluffy signature.

Final Thoughts

Here’s the truth: you don’t need a mountain of tools to get started. But having the right ones — the ones that make drawing feel smoother, easier, and more fun — makes a huge difference.

Start small. Use what you’ve got. Add to your toolkit bit by bit. Some of my best tools weren’t fancy or expensive — they were just the right thing at the right time (or pulled out of a kitchen drawer in a pinch).

And if you’ve got a weird and wonderful tool you love? Come share it! I’m sure my free Coloured Pencil Facebook Group would love to know! Click Here to Join!